your cousin, in the latter end, and she must
be blind too.

Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves.

K. Hen. It is so: and you may, some of you, thank love for my blindness, who cannot see many a fair French city for one fair French 360 maid that stands in my way.

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you see them perspec-
tively, the cities turned into a maid; for
they are all girdled with maiden walls that
war hath never entered.

K. Hen. Shall Kate be my
Fr. King. So please you.

wife?

K. Hen. I am content; so the maiden cities you talk of may wait on her: so the maid that stood in the way for my wish shall show me 370 the way to my will.

Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of

reason.

K. Hen. Is 't so, my lords of England?
West. The king hath granted every article.
His daughter first, and then in sequel all,
According to their firm proposed natures.
Exe. Only he hath not yet subscribed this:

Where your majesty demands, that the King
of France, having any occasion to write for 380
matter of grant, shall name your highness in
this form and with this addition, in French,
Notre trèscher fils Henri, Roi d'Angleterre,
Héritier de France; and thus in Latin,

384. "Héritier"; Ff. read "Heretere"; "Præclarissimus"; so Ff.;

Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, Rex
Angliæ, et Hæres Franciae.

Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied,

But your request shall make me let it pass. K. Hen. I pray you then, in love and dear alliance,

Let that one article rank with the rest;

And thereupon give me your daughter.

390

Fr. King. Take her, fair son, and from her blood raise up

Issue to me; that the contending kingdoms

Of France and England, whose very shores look pale

With envy of each other's happiness,

May cease their hatred, and this dear conjunc-
tion

Plant neighborhood and Christian-like accord
In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance
His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair
France.

All. Amen!

400

K. Hen. Now, welcome, Kate: and bear me wit

ness all,

That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.

[Flourish. Q. Isa. God, the best maker of all marriages, Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one! As man and wife, being two, are one in love, So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal, Rann reads "Percarissimus"; the error is, however, copied from Holinshed.-I. G.

That never may ill offense, or fell jealousy,
Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,
Thrust in between the paction of these king-
doms,

410

To make divorce of their incorporate league:
That English may as French, French English-

men,

Receive each other. God speak this Amen! All. Amen.

K. Hen. Prepare we for our marriage: on which

day,

My Lord of Burgundy, we 'll take
your oath,
And all the peers', for surety of our leagues.
Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me;
And may our oaths well kept and prosperous be!
[Sennet. Exeunt.

EPILOGUE

Enter Chorus.

Chor. Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen, Our bending author hath pursued the story, In little room confining mighty men,

Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.

Small time, but in that small most greatly lived This star of England: Fortune made his sword;

419. "Sennet"; F. 1, "Senet"; F. 2, "Sonet," as though referring to the fourteen lines of the Epilogue.-I. G.

4. That is, by touching only on select parts.-H. N. H.

By which the world's best garden he achieved,

And of it left his son imperial lord.

Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown'd King Of France and England, did this king succeed;

Whose state so many had the managing,

10

That they lost France and made his England bleed:

Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their sake,

In your fair minds let this acceptance take.

[Exit.

13. "Which oft our stage hath shown"; vide Preface to 1, 2, 3 Henry VI.-I. G.

GLOSSARY

By ISRAEL GOLLANCZ, M.A.